Perforating apparatus



Nov. 29, 1966 J. D. CONT] PERFORATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7 1963 Nov. 29, 1966 J. D. CONTI PERFORATING APPARATUS Filed March *7, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 29, 1966 J. D. CONTI PERFORATING APPARATUS 4 SheetsSheet 3 Filed March 7, 1965 WM mm Nov. 29, 1966 J. D. CONTI PERFORATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-$heet 4 Filed March 7 1965 I m zz/ United States Patent 3,288,665 PERFORATING APPARATUS John D. Conti, Elkins Park, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 263,621 9 Claims. (Cl. 156--513) This application is a continuation-i-n-part of application Serial No. 47,208, filed August 3, 1960, now Patent No. 3,140,039.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of articles having openings which are reinforced against tearing.

The provision of an opening in an article formed of flexible sheet or web materials, and particularly nonfibrous sheet materials such as cellophane and conventional plastic films, generally creates a weakened area at which tearing can be easily initiated. For example, when suspending a perforated bag formed of regenerated cellulose from a rod or hook for display or other purposes, the bag material usually becomes distorted in the area around the perforation and generally tears under the weight of the packaged contents. The provision of metal eyelets or other similar mean-s for reinforcing such perforations is not only costly but often aggravates the problem by piercing or otherwise weakening the sheet or web material. Accordingly, a primary object is the provision of a new or improved and more satisfactory apparatus for providing reinforced openings in flexible sheet or web materials.

Another object is the provision of an improved apparatus for perforating overlapped sheet or Web materials having at least a surface coating of thermoplastic material and concomitantly fusing or searing the same in the area immediately adjacent to and surrounding the perforations.

Still another object is the provision of an apparatus which is designed to automatically feed and position bags formed of flexible sheet material, and then provide an opening in each of the sealed ends of such bags while concomitantly searing the portions of the bags surrounding such openings to provide a hard and rigid reinforcement thereat.

Still further objects will appear from the following descriptio-n.

These objects are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by an apparatus in which overlapped sheet or web materials, having at least a surface coating of thermoplastic material, are perforated and concomitantly seared in the areas immediately adjacent to and surrounding the perforations. These individual seared areas of the overlapped sheet or web materials are hard and rigid and serve to reinforce the respective openings against distortion and/ or tearing.

The apparatus of the present invention includes a pair of movable punch members having aligned annular surfaces, at least one of which is adapted to be heated. An opening or recess is formed substantially centrally of one of such annular surfaces and partially receives a generally round or arcuate projection carried by the other of such members. The projection is of a diameter slightly greater than that of the recess whereby its arcuate surface and the edge of the mating opening or recess together cooperate to cut or shear an opening in the sheet or web materials as the punch members are moved toward each other. When the punch members are in closed position, their aligned annularvsurfaces are spaced apart a distance less than the combined thickness of the overlapped sheet or web materials so that the portions thereof surrounding the formed opening are subjected to heat and pressure and thereby seared into a hard and rigid mass. To facilitate Patented Nov. 29, 1966 automatic operation, the apparatus of the present invention also includes article feed means, which is operative in synchronism with punch members, and means for arresting the movement and properly positioning the articles for the perforating opera-tion.

Broadly, the teachings of the present invention are applicable to the manufacture of a variety of articles where reinforced openings are employed in supporting or securing the same, as for example in tents, awnings and other protective coverings. Any suitable heat-scalable material may be used in the practice of the present invention, such as films or sheets of rubber hydrochloride or other derivatives, sheets formed of thermoplastic resins, including polyethylene and polypropylene, regenerated cellulose or paper base sheets provided with suitable heat scalable coatings which may, if desired, be moisture-proof coatings, such as regenerated cellulose films or paper carrying coatings of thermoplastic materials, as for example nitrocellulose, polyethylene, saran, or rubber hydrochloride, the heat-seal-able coatings being anchored to the coating or sub-coating of urea formaldehyde or melamine formaldehyde resins.

From the standpoint of simplicity and ease of description, the invention is hereafter described as employed in providing reinforced openings in containers or bags formed of regenerated cellulose films having heat-scalable coatings.

In the drawing, FIGURE 1 is a side view of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a portion of the apparatus of FIGURE 4 shown on an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating perforating means incorporated into the apparatus shown in FIG- URE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of a bag having a reinforced opening formed with the apparatus of the present invention.

With reference to the drawing, the apparatus of the present invention includes side bars 11 and 13 which are supported above a base 15 by columns 17 and upstanding bearings 19. The side bars 11 and 13, together with a top plate 21, extend in-between the bearing blocks 19 and are supported therefrom, as by spacer blocks 23. A supply bin 25 is provided at one end of the apparatus for supporting bags 27 which are to be provided with reinforced openings, as shown in FIGURE 7. The bags 27 are of conventional construction in which one end is sealed, as shown at 29, and rests upon the top plate 21. The bin 25 includes side members 31 which are fixed to the top plate 21, a plurality of pins 33 disposed between the side members 31, and a movable rear wall 35 which is supported by a carrier '37. A slide block 39 is resiliently urged along a guide 41 by a spring 43 and pulls the carrier 37 along tracks 45 by means of a cable 47 to there- 'by maintain the wall 35 snugly against the bags 27.

The bags 27 are individually withdrawn and advanced away from the bin 25 by a feed device, which is indicated at 49, and includes a vacuum head 51, a tucker 53 and cooperating delivery rolls and endless belts 55 and 57, respectively. The vacuum head 51 includes a pair of suction tubes 59 and is mounted for free rotation on a shaft 61 which is rotatably carried by bearings 63. A flexible hose 65 connects the vacuum head 51 to a valve 67 which, when actuated as hereafter described, operatively connects the suction tube 59 and the hose 65 to an intake hose 69 of. a conventional vacuum means, not shown.

As the suction tubes 59 are evacuated, the adjacent end of the leading or exposed bag 27 is actual-1y lifted away from the remaining bags contained within the bin 25. The vacuum head 51 is then rotated clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 3, by a slide rod 71 to advance the exposed bag downwardly and across the path of the tucker 53. As hereafter described, the tucker 53 moves along a path as indicated by the arrow 73 in FIGURE 3 and serves to urge the end of such exposed bag 27 into the nip formed by the delivery rolls 55 and endless belts 57.

The rod 71 is slidably supported by a fixed bearing 75 and is connected at one end to a rod 77 which projects from the vacuum head 51. A spring 79 extends between the opposite end of the rod 71 and the adjacent bearing 19 and serves to automatically retract the row 71 after it has been projected, as more fully described hereafter.

The rolls 55 are fixed to the shaft 61, while the belts 57 are trained over pulleys 81 and 83 carried by shafts 85 and 87 which are rotatably mounted between the side bars 11 and 13. Meshing gears 89 and 91 are fixed to the opposite ends of the shafts 61 and 85 so that the rolls 55 and cooperating belts 57 are together driven at substantially the same rate of speed as one of such shafts is turned. The upper reaches of the endless belts 57 are projected upwardly through slots 93 and are maintained above the surface of the top plate 21 by a slide plate 95. As the individual bags 27 pass through the nip formed by the rolls 55 and belts 57, they are pressed snugly against the upper reaches of such belts by spring arms 97, and are thereby conveyed to a perforating and searing unit, indicated generally at 99.

Operation of the various parts of the feed device 49 is effected by a shaft 101 which is rotatably supported by the bearings 19 and driven from a suitable source, not shown, by a chain and sprocket 103 and 105, respectively. As best seen in FIGURE 2, a series of plate cams 107, 109 and 111 are fixed to one end of the shaft 101. The cam 107 is positioned to engage and selectively actuate a switch 113 of the valve 67 so as to effect evacuation of the suction tubes 59 as heretofore described.

The cam 109 reacts through a wiper 115 to oscillate a shaft 117 relative to its fixed bearings 119. This movement of the shaft 117 is, in turn, transmitted through a lever 121 and connecting link 123 to the slide rod 71 to thereby effect oscillation of the vacuum head 51 rela tive to the shaft 61. As heretofore described, the spring 79 serves to retract the slide rod 71 after it has been projected and, in so doing, maintains the wiper 115 snugly against the cam periphery.

The earn 111 serves to pivot the tucker 53 along its arcuate path, as indicated at 73, for feeding the individual bags 27 into the nip formed by the rolls 55 and endless belts 57. As best shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, a shaft 125 is rotatably supported by bearings 127 and is oscillated by the cam 111 through a Wiper 129. A spring 131 extends between the base and a lever 133, which is also fixed to the shaft 125, and serves to maintain the wiper 129 snugly against the cam periphery. The oscillating movement of the shaft 125 is transmitted through a lever 135 and connecting link 137 to one arm 139 of a bell crank lever 141 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 143. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the tucker 53 projects laterally from the arm 145 of the lever 141, for movement along a plane which extend-s substantially centrally between the rolls 55.

Continuous and positive movement of the endless belts 57 is achieved by an endless chain 147 which is trained over sprockets 149 and 151 fixed to the pulley shaft 87 and main drive shaft 101, respectively. With the movement of the belts 57 the pulley shaft 85 is also rotated and, as heretofore mentioned, causes the intermeshing gears to turn the roll shaft 61.

The perforating and searing unit 99 of the present invention includes cooperating punch members or jaws 153 and 155, the latter of which is fixed to and projects radially from the shaft 101. The punch member 153 is similarly carried by a shaft 157 which is rotatably supported by blocks 159. The bearings 19 are formed with suitable ways 161 for slidably receiving the blocks 159 and are each provided 'with a cap 163 and an adjusting bolt 165. The shaft 157 is normally urged away from the shaft 101 by springs 167 and is adjusted by bolts to secure a desired cooperation between the members 153 and 155 as hereafter described.

The positive drive of the shaft 101, as heretofore described, is transmitted to the shaft 157 through similar meshing gears 169 and 171. With this arrangement, the shafts 101 and 157 are rotated at the same rate of speed and thus assure that the punch members 153 and 155 mate properly with each and every revolution of such shafts.

As heretofore mentioned, the individual bags 27 are delivered to the perforating and searing unit 99 by the endless belts 57. Actually, the bags 27 are delivered at spaced intervals so that each bag may be maintained stationary in such position as to be snugly gripped by the perforating members 153 and 155 as they approach and travel into and beyond the perforating and searing stage. In this manner perforating of the bags 27 at a desired location can be readily achieved without the lead for any complicated and/or sensitive means for synchronizing the movement of the belts 57 with that of the shafts 101 and 157.

To achieve this particular function, a pair of stop pins 173 are projected across the path traveled by the individual bags 27, in position to be engaged by the leading ends thereof. The stop pins 173 are each carried by a pair of spaced levers 175 which are fixed to a shaft 177. Bearings 179 project upwardly from a cover plate 181 and support the shaft 177 for oscillating movement as dictated by a plate cam 183 carried by the shaft 157. A wiper 185, fixed to the shaft 177, is maintained engaged with the periphery of the cam 183, by a leaf spring 187 which is also secured to the cover plate 181.

To facilitate variation in the position at which the movement of the bags 27 is arrested, and thereby enable some change in the location at which the reinforced opening is formed, the stop pins 173 each extend through and are captively retained by a separate block 18 which is located between .the respective pairs of levers 175. The stop pins 173, are each provided with a cross piece 191 which extends through a vertical slot 193 in its respective adjusting block 189 and is received within aligned and generally horizontal slots 195 formed in the pairs of levers 175. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 5, a screw 197 extends through an elongated opening 199 formed in the blocks 189 and are threaded into fixed lugs 201 for locking the blocks 189 after adjustment thereof longitudinally of levers 17 5.

It will be noted that during the terminal portion of the movement of the bags 27 by the endless belts 57, the bags 27 are pressed snugly against the belt surfaces by a weighted pressure roll 203. The roll 203 is pivotally mounted between bearings 205 by a lever 207 and wiper 209, the latter of which engages with the periphery of a plate cam 211 also carried by the shaft 157. The relationship between the cams 183 and 211 is such that the pressure roll 203 is elevated away from the surface of the bag 27, as shown by solid lines in FIGURE 4, while the leading end of such bag is engaged with the stop pins 173 and until such bag is carried away from its stationary position during the actual perforating operation.

As best shown in FIGURES 4 and 6, the perforating member 153 includes a collar 213 which is secured at one end of a spring body 215 and has a thread stem 217 passing through and fixed to the shaft 157 by nuts 219. A disk 221 is secured to the opposite end of the spring body 215 and has a generally hemispherical projection 223 which is encircled by a smooth annular sealing surface 225.

The perforating member 155 is provided with a circular opening or recess 227 which is slightly smaller in diameter than the projection 223 and is also encircled by a smooth annular sealing surface 229. With this arrangement, the projection 223 serves as an anvil while the annular edge 231 of the recess 227 shears a clean opening 233 in sealed end 29 of a bag 27 which is engaged and carried by the perforating members 153 and 155. Preferably, and as shown in FIGURE 6, the projection 223 is in the form of a ball or sphere which is captively retained by the disk 221 yet is free to rotate to distribute wear. I

Additionally, the perforating member 155 is provided with a heater 235 which is electrically connected by wires 237 to disks 239 and 241 fixed to the shaft 101. Contacts 243 slidably engage with the peripheries of the disks 239 and 241 and are connected to an electrical source by wires 245. The heater 235 is embedded within and serves to maintain the annular sealing surface 229 at a temperature above the melting point of the thermoplastic material with which the bags 27 are coated. When the perforating members are in their fully mated position the spacing between the opposing annular sealing surfaces 225 and 229 is less than the thickness of the sealed end 29 of the bag 27. As a result, the portion of the bag 27 surrounding the formed opening 233 and engaged between the jaw sealing surfaces 225 and 229 is seared under heat and pressure and forms a hard and rigid mass 247 which reinforces the bag opening against distortion and/ or tearing.

As the members 153 and 155 move along diverging paths, the newly perforated bag 27 travels in-between nip rolls 249 and 251 which advance the same to a suitable collection bin, not shown. The rolls 249 and 251 are interconnected for positive movement by meshing gears 253 and 255 and are driven from the shaft 157 by means of an endless chain 257 which is trained over sprockets 259 and 261.

In the above-described apparatus, the different cams carried by the shaft 101 are initially oriented so as to provide for the necessary synchronization between the feed device 49 and the perforating and searing unit 99. In operation, as the shaft 101 is rotated the cam 107 actuates the switch 113 which opens the valve 67 and causes the suction tubes 59 to take hold of the lower edge of the leading bag 27 in the supply bin 25. With the continued rotation of the shaft 101, the cam 109 causes the vacuum head 51 to rotate clockwise about the shaft 61, as viewed in FIGURE 1, so that the leading bag 27 is carried downwardly and into the path of the tucker 53. The cam 111 actuates the tucker 53 thus lifting the end of the bag 27 and causing the same to be gripped and pulled by the cooperating driven rolls 55 and endless belts 57.

As the bag 27 is held snugly against the endless belts 57, first by the spring arms 97 and then by the roll 203, it is advanced toward the unit 99 until its leading end engages with the stop pins 173. At this stage the roll 203 is elevated by the cam 211 to prevent further advancement and possible bunching of the bag 27. As the shafts 101 and 157 rotate the members 153 and 155 against the opposite sides of the sealed end 29 of the bag 27, the cam 183 causes the stop pins 173 to be elevated. The bag 27 is thus carried by the members 153 and 155 and during such travel is perforated and scared, as shown in FIGURE 7, and then fed in-between the nip rolls 253 and 255.

When initially preparing the apparatus for use, it is preferred that the shaft 157 be positioned, by adjusting the slide blocks 159, as to require the spring body 215 of the jaw 153 to undergo partial compression as the cooperating jaws 153 and 155 move through the bag perforating and searing stage. In this manner the portion of the bag 27 located between such members 153 and is snugly gripped and is thereby properly cut and seared. It will be further noted that the spring body 215 of the jaw 153 permits the disk 221 to rock as the jaws 153 and 155 move into opposing relationship and also assists in releasing the disk 221 from the bag after it has been seared.

The position of the opening 233 may be varied relative to the adjacent edge of the bag 27 by adjusting the blocks 189 longitudinally of the levers 175. In this manner the location at which the bag 27 is held stationary by the stop pins 173 is changed so that the members 153 and 155 are now caused to engage with that portion of the bag 27 at which the opening 233 is desired.

It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for forming reinforced openings in sheet materials having at least a surface coating of thermoplastic material including a pair of sealing jaws between which the sheet materials are adapted to be positioned, substantially parallel, annular sealing surfaces provided on opposing portions of said sealing jaws, means for moving said sealing jaws toward and away from each other, an opening formed in one of said sealing jaws substantially centrally of the sealing surface thereof, a spherical projection formed substantially centrally of the other of said sealing surfaces, said projection being only partially received within and cooperating with said opening in said one sealing surface for cutting an opening in sheet materials disposed therebetween when said jaws are moved toward each other, and means for heating at least one of the sealing surfaces for searing portions of sheet materials immediately adjacent to an opening formed therein concomitantly with the cutting thereof.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said jaws includes a main body formed of a coiled compression spring.

3. Apparatus for forming openings in multi-walled containers formed of flexible sheet material having at least a surface coating of thermoplastic material and being sealed at only one end thereof including a supply bin for supporting a plurality of such containers in collapsed condition, means for perforating said containers, and means for individually advancing the collapsed containers from said bin to said perforating means at spaced intervals, said perforating means including a pair of shafts each having a jaw projecting radially therefrom, means for rotating said shafts in unison to position the free ends of said jaws in opposing relationship, a recess formed in the free end of one of said jaws, a generally spherical projection on the free end of the other of said jaws, said spherical projection being only partially received in said opening when said jaws are in opposed relationship whereby the surface of said projection and the annular edge of said opening together cooperate to perforate said individual containers with a shearing action a sealing surface extending around each of said recess and projection, and means for heating at least one of said sealing surfaces, said sealing surfaces being adapted to together sear the portions of the individual containers which surround the opening formed therein.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 further including stop means for arresting the movement of the individual containers as they are advanced to said perforating means and for maintaining the same in a stationary position until engaged by said jaws.

5. Apparatus for forming reinforced openings in multiwalled containers formed of flexible sheet materials having at least a surface coating of thermoplastic material and being sealed at only one end thereof including a supply bin for supporting in stacked relationship a plurality of such containers in collapsed condition, feed means for 7 sequentially engaging the containers adjacent to one of their ends and partially withdrawing the containers individually from said bin, delivery means for engaging with the partially withdrawn containers and advancing the same away from said bin along a path extending at substantially right angles to their original stacked positions in said bin, stop means for arresting the movement of said individual containers and punch means sequentially engaging with the arrested containers for forming an opening in the sealed end thereof and searing the portions immediately adjacent to and surrounding such opening while concomitantly advancing the same away from said stop means.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said feed means includes a vacuum head for lifting and moving the leading container away from the remaining containers in said bin, and la tucker for urging such leading container into engagement with said delivery means.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said delivery means includes a pair of continuously advancing endless belts and pressure means for maintaining the individual containers engaged with said belts.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 further including means for releasing said pressure means when the advancement of the individual containers is arrested.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said punch means includes a pair of shafts, jaws projecting radially from said shafts, means for rotating said shafts in unison to position the free ends of said jaws in opposing relationship, a sealing surface on the free end of each of said jaws, a recess formed substantially centrally of one of said sealing surfiaces, a generally spherical projection formed on the other of said sealing surfaces and adapted to be only partially received within said recess, at least one of said sealing surfaces being heated and at least one of said jaws having a resilient body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,301,015 4/1919 Stake etal. 156572 2,414,157 1/1947 Marziani 156513 2,597,634 5/1952 Grevich 156513 3,075,573 1/1963 Piazze 156513 FOREIGN PATENTS 563,180 3/1957 Italy.

EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

DOUGLAS J. DRUMMOND, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,288,665 November 29, 1966 John D. Conti It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 16, for "row" read rod column 4, line 28, for "lead" read need line 47, for "18" read 189 Signed and sealed this 12th day of September 1967.

( L) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD]. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents 

1. APPARATUS FOR FORMING REINFORCED OPENINGS IN SHEET MATERIALS HAVING AT LEAST A SURFACE COATING OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL INCLUDING A PAIR OF SEALING JAWS BETWEEN WHICH THE SHEET MATERIALS ARE ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED, SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL, ANNULAR SEALING SURFACES PROVIDED ON OPPOSING PORTIONS OF SAID SEALING JAWS, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SEALING JAWS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, AN OPENING FORMED IN ONE OF SAID SEALING JAWS SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY OF THE SEALING SURFACE THEREOF, A SPHERICAL PROJECTION FORMED SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY OF THE OTHER OF SAID SEALING SURFACES, SAID PROJECTION BEING ONLY PARTIALLY RECEIVED WITHIN AND COOPERATING WITH SAID OPENING IN SAID ONE SEALING SURFACE FOR CUTTING AN OPENING IN SHEET MATERIALS DISPOSED THEREBETWEEN WHEN SAID JAWS ARE MOVED TOWARD EACH OTHER, AND MEANS FOR HEATING AT LEAST ONE OF THE SEALING SURFACES FOR SEARING PORTIONS OF SHEET MATERIALS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN CONCOMITANTLY WITH THE CUTTING THEREOF. 